The King Arthur Mysteries: Arthur's Britain and Early Medieval World

by Timothy Venning

Overview

An up-to-date and comprehensive guide to the history of the 'Arthurian' phenomenon - the imaginary and historical world of the great British warlord and one of the huge historical mysteries of early and medieval Britain. The Arthurian story, based on fact and fiction, is central to Britain's 'creation myth' and the concept of Britain's heroic past. This is a deeply researched and scholarly but essentially accessible history and analysis for general readers and specialists and based on an impressive array of sources including Romano-British, Anglo-Saxon, rare medieval English, French and German sources, and archaeology - essential for modern historical research in early history. Modern and contemporary historiography is covered including 'debunking' treatments. The study surveys King Arthur in fact and fiction, his family, knights, and the legends that have grown up around them and developed to the enduring interest from history, literature to TV and film.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781526783943
Publisher:	Pen and Sword
Publication date:	03/30/2025
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	6.25(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)

About the Author

Timothy Venning obtained his BA, followed by PhD at King's College, University of London, on Cromwell's Foreign Policy and is a gifted historian, deep and critical researcher and attractive writer, with wide range of historical interests. He can slip easily and effectually into early history, the middle ages and to the early modern period with the academic rigour, accessibility, and with both non-specialists, students and academic reference in mind.

Table of Contents

Introduction: The Need for King Arthur vi

Chapter 1 Arthur In History: Arthur's Real Context: The End of Roman Britain 1

Chapter 2 Arthur's Predecessors? Vortigern and Ambrosius 38

Chapter 3 King Arthur in Mediaeval Culture. An Anachronistic Picture 54

Chapter 4 Decline and Revival. Arthur after Malory. More Anachronisms 81

Chapter 5 Arthur and Associated Romances. Totally Myth, or Some Genuine Facts Too? 111

Chapter 6 Arthurian Connections - Persons and Artefacts. Arthur's Queens, Knights, and Swords: Their Development 148

Chapter 7 Interpreting the Early Written Evidence. 'Legend' and Propaganda Not History? 165

Chapter 8 Camelot and The Round Table 207

Chapter 9 'Original' Arthurs. The Silurian Arthur - A Credible Candidate or a Coincidence of Names? 216

Notes 236

Bibliography 249

Index 255